1
as in timid
easily frightened
a shy cat who hid under the bed every time she heard any loud noise
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
a shy person who finds talking to anyone but a close friend to be an awkward and unpleasant experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
the team is shy a couple of players because of illness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in notorious
not respectable
she was nervous about being left alone in a shy bar in a bad section of town
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shy
Tim Rohan, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Add to that Katharine Burr Blodgett, four months shy of her 21st birthday, back in her native city, working less than a mile from the house she was born in, at the very company where her father had been a young star.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Armstrong, historically, does not shy away from an FCC fine or contentious topic.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shy
Adjective
Drake stopped a few inches shy of that.
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Add to that Katharine Burr Blodgett, four months shy of her 21st birthday, back in her native city, working less than a mile from the house she was born in, at the very company where her father had been a young star.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Seahawks players don’t shy away from comparisons to the famed Legion of Boom, but are looking to make their own mark as a historically great NFL defense.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Armstrong, historically, does not shy away from an FCC fine or contentious topic.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shy
Adjective
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Gallego is confident that none of the pejoratives affixed to Democrats—weak, feckless, timid—applies to him.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Harry Melling stars as a timid man who is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker (Skarsgård) takes him on as his submissive.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Flynns’ pompous neighbor, Jim Doherty, a divorcé with a withdrawn, unpleasant son, encourages Catherine’s artistic rebirth.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Off-screen, Affleck has a slightly rougher star persona, while Damon’s can be a little more withdrawn and intellectual.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Vučević is also a good defensive rebounder, an area in which the Celtics are greatly lacking.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Unfortunately, that correspondence is wholly lacking.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Published by Tor Nightfire in February 2023, the book centers on Eric Ross, a single father struggling to provide for his two daughters, who accepts a job documenting paranormal activity within a notorious Texas residence.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
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Once notorious for high crime rates, the city has seen violent crime drop to low or zero levels in recent years.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But as his show became a pop culture punchline and an enduring ratings force, Povich says the person closest to him never flinched.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
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Adi flinched but passed it to him.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Meanwhile, some of Brady’s former teammates with the Patriots weren’t bashful about their loyalty heading into Super Bowl LX between the Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, including Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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Next was a bashful grad student from Columbia’s engineering school who could not make eye contact.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Boxer Imane Khelif admitted to having the SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome, which is found in biological males, and undergoing hormone treatments to lower testosterone levels ahead of the 2024 Olympics in an interview with the French sports publication L'Equipe.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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The appeals court sent the case back to the lower court to amend the 2024 ruling.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While everyone may argue how the infamous snap wouldn't have happened had Peter just stuck to the original plan, his thirst for vengeance takes over.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
14 Feb. 2026
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The upshot of all of this is that Kennedy, who outside of Canada couldn’t have been picked out of a lineup of tourists, is now infamous.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shy. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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